Valerio Castello was an Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 painter of the Baroque

Baroque

The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...

 period. He was very active during his short life in Genoa

Genoa

Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....

.

He was the youngest son of Bernardo Castello

Bernardo Castello

Bernardo Castello was an Italian painter of the late-Mannerist style, active mainly in Genoa and Liguria. He is mainly known as a portrait and historical painter.-Biography:...

, who died when Valerio was six year old. Valerio and his brothers were attached to the noble family of Torquato, and while he had been intended to study a literate profession, he showed an affinity to drawing. This was noted by his patrons, who arranged his apprenticeship with Domenico Fiasella

Domenico Fiasella

Domenico Fiasella was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, mainly active in Genoa. He was nicknamed Il Sarzana, after his birthplace.-Biography:...

. He arranged to travel to Milan

Milan

Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...

 with Agostino Merano, the sibling of Giovanni Battista Merano

Giovanni Battista Merano

Giovanni Battista Merano was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, mainly active in Genoa. He was born in Genoa. He was one of the pupils of the Genoese Valerio Castello. He spent some years in Parma, returning after the death of Castello, and painted in various churches. He appears unrelated...

, where he admired the work of Camillo Proccacini. From there, he traveled to Parma

Parma

Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....

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He excelled in painting battle-scenes. He was also quite prolific within Genoa during his short life. He painted the Rape of the Sabines, now in the Palazzo Brignole, Genoa

Genoa

Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....

, and decorated the cupola of the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato

Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato

The Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato is a Catholic cathedral in Genoa, northern Italy; its decoration employed the major baroque studios and artists in Genoa in the 17th century....

 in the same city. For the house of Francesco Maria Balbi, he collaborated with the quadraturista from Bologna, Andrea Sghizzi to fresco the palace. In his works he is regarded by his admirers as combining the fire of Tintoretto

Tintoretto

Tintoretto , real name Jacopo Comin, was a Venetian painter and a notable exponent of the Renaissance school. For his phenomenal energy in painting he was termed Il Furioso...

 with the general style of Paolo Veronese

Paolo Veronese

Paolo Veronese was an Italian painter of the Renaissance in Venice, famous for paintings such as The Wedding at Cana and The Feast in the House of Levi...

. Castello influenced the work of young Domenico Piola

Domenico Piola

Domenico Piola was a Genoese painter of the Baroque period. His family studio was highly prolific.-Biography:Piola was an Italian painter, draughtsman, printmaker and designer...

. Among his pupils were Bartolomeo Biscaino

Bartolomeo Biscaino

Bartolomeo Biscaino was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active in his native Genoa. He was the son, and first a pupil of Giovanni Andrea Biscaino. He afterwards became a pupil of Valerio Castelli. His career was cut short by the plague, which visited Genoa, to which his father and...

, Giovanni Paolo Cervetto, and Stefano Magnasco.